Spurs 92, Mavericks 91: Winning ugly

With the Spurs (50-16) fighting to maintain their place atop the Western Conference, every victory is big — particularly without the injured Tony Parker. But there was the sense the Spurs didn’t win so much as escape Thursday at the AT&T Center, where Vince Carter missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer under duress from Tiago Splitter. It was a position the Mavericks (30-34) should never have been in after the Spurs took an eight-point lead with 2:37 left.

Player of the game

It was shades of 2007 as future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, veterans of so many classic battles, matched skills and wills once more. Nowitzki had 21 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to surpass Duncan’s 28 and 19. Duncan was particularly good in the second half, sinking 9 of 10 shots after a 3-for-10 start. His dominance on the glass helped San Antonio claim a 57-41 edge, the game’s deciding factor according to Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle.

The turning point

Kawhi Leonard’s late 3 was so big that even Gregg Popovich reacted, kicking out his leg as the ball dropped through the hoop to put the Spurs up eight. But the game ultimately wouldn’t be decided until another 3, Carter’s last-ditch effort over Splitter from the top of the key. Nowitzki didn’t like the play call, saying the Mavericks should have run something to give Carter an option to drive. Carter, however, made no excuses: “It looked good and felt good. I got what I wanted. I need that shot to go down.”

Continuation

* Not even the returns of Duncan and Leonard could jump-start the Spurs following their 83-point dud in Minnesota. They had been playing relatively well offensively without Parker, but the past two games — 89.6 offensive rating, 39.8-percent shooting — have Popovich worried. “We continued to play in mud,” he said. “We’re going through a tough stretch. Everybody wants to do it on their own. No people movement. No hard cuts. Nothing that’s hard to guard.”

* On the bright side for the Spurs, Popovich said pregame that Parker continues to make progress two weeks after injuring his left ankle against Sacramento. He said once again that he expects Parker to beat his four-month prognosis, noting that he’s begun light shooting work. “I don’t know if I’m being too hopeful,” he said, “but I think it will be shorter.”

* The Spurs extended their NBA-record streak of 50-win seasons to 14 with Thursday’s result. Thanks to the 2011 lockout, the next longest active streak is two by the Chicago Bulls. Next on the all-time list is the Los Angeles Lakers, who had 12 straight 50-win seasons from 1979 to 1990.

* It hasn’t been the best season for Gary Neal, who has struggled with everything from plantar fasciitis to a cut finger on his shooting hand. He played a key role on Thursday, however, scoring eight of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to help hold off the Mavericks. It tied for his highest point total over the past three months.

* Only Lakers center Dwight Howard, with nine, has more games with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds than Duncan’s seven.